Taking over the West Bank is the “only sane plan”, even if it tears the Israeli government in two, Finance Minister Naftali Bennett has declared. The opposition threatens to topple the cabinet if it extends Israeli sovereignty over any settlements.

“It’s no secret that for dozens of years there has been a
chasm [between us] on how to leave the settlements. It hasn’t
proven itself,” Bennett said on Army Radio, whose Jewish
Home party is strongly opposed to the establishment of a
Palestinian state.

Bennett said that his proposal Sunday to grab some 60 percent of
the West Bank is the “only sane plan.”

The government has been contemplating a unilateral action at the
territories following the collapse of peace talks with the
Palestinian Authority earlier this year. Peace talks stopped
after Israel failed to keep a pledge to release a final batch of
Palestinian prisoners. But in April, Netanyahu blamed Palestinian
leaders for the breakdown in relations.

Previously, Israel has repeatedly held back from annexing the
West Bank. Since Israel captured the occupied territories in
1967, more than 350,000 Jews have settled there alongside some
2.3 million Palestinians.

The renewed rhetoric sparked a scandal. PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s
primary coalition partner has threatened to leave the government
if Israel attempts to exert sovereignty over settlements.

“If there is an attempt to annex even one settlement
unilaterally, Yesh Atid won’t just pull out of the coalition, it
will topple it,” Finance Minister Yair Lapid warned. His
centrist Yesh Atid has 19 seats, and the Netanyahu-led coalition
would not have a majority without it.

Following the breakdown of peace talks, Palestine formally joined
five UN human rights treaties to press its sovereignty. Also a
week ago, Hamas, which Israel deems a terrorist organization,
formed the unity government with Fatah. In response to that
Israel announced plans for building new settler homes.